Mardi Gras Mambo with Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience
When it comes to Creole culture and Zydeco music, two-time GRAMMY Award-winning Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience embody the past, present, and future of American roots music. This six-piece, multigenerational, and multicultural band is a powerhouse of formally trained and very experienced musicians. Their hypnotic blend of zydeco roots - reggae - soul, and New Orleans jazz brass band - is expertly crafted to move your spirit and lift your soul. Their live performances are legendary!
For more than four decades, Simien & company have toured across more than 40 countries and performed over 9,000 concerts worldwide. Their groundbreaking educational program, Creole for Kidz and the History of Zydeco, was developed 25 years ago to introduce K–12 and college students to Creole culture and zydeco’s rich history. This dynamic live performance and companion study guide have raised the cultural IQ of more than 250,000 students, teachers, and families around the globe.
Simien’s music has been featured in multiple major films, and the band has made numerous on-screen appearances. A career highlight came when zydeco music was featured in Disney’s The Princess and the Frog—the first Disney film to feature a Black princess. Simien collaborated with the legendary Randy Newman on the film’s zydeco song and was thrilled to hear the word zydeco spoken on screen for the very first time in a Disney production. In 2024, the band recorded music for the new Disney theme park ride based on the film, now open in both U.S. parks. Disney's massive global footprint has been a game-changer for amplifying zydeco music, a vibrant Louisiana-rooted genre blending Creole and R&B influences, to audiences far beyond the bayou.
For more than four decades, Simien & company have toured across more than 40 countries and performed over 9,000 concerts worldwide. Their groundbreaking educational program, Creole for Kidz and the History of Zydeco, was developed 25 years ago to introduce K–12 and college students to Creole culture and zydeco’s rich history. This dynamic live performance and companion study guide have raised the cultural IQ of more than 250,000 students, teachers, and families around the globe.
Simien’s music has been featured in multiple major films, and the band has made numerous on-screen appearances. A career highlight came when zydeco music was featured in Disney’s The Princess and the Frog—the first Disney film to feature a Black princess. Simien collaborated with the legendary Randy Newman on the film’s zydeco song and was thrilled to hear the word zydeco spoken on screen for the very first time in a Disney production. In 2024, the band recorded music for the new Disney theme park ride based on the film, now open in both U.S. parks. Disney's massive global footprint has been a game-changer for amplifying zydeco music, a vibrant Louisiana-rooted genre blending Creole and R&B influences, to audiences far beyond the bayou.